It is a cliché, but true: Older Kuwaitis have probably witnessed more change in their lives than anyone in the history of the planet. They can recall life before motorcars and airplanes, which would be inconceivable to their grandchildren. They can remember when Kuwait didn’t extend past the First Ring Road, when Hawalli was a desert village, and when Salmiya was a few mud huts around a tree. Today the entire area is a vast urban sprawl.

The city grew under three successive “master plans”. The city walls were demolished by 1954, and the oil wealth allowed Kuwaitis to build their new city to international standards. The government opened up building projects, allowing generous mortgages, and giving free housing to the indigent. Most bedouins eventually settled in town. Consumer goods from all over the world began to flood Kuwait, and shopping centers sprang up rapidly. Souks became markets, which in turn became vast complexes in residential areas.

Kuwait pearl diver of old

Amir Abdullah Al-Salem (Abdullah III), known as the father of modern Kuwait, became ruler in 1950. His enlightened reign saw great progress in social services, as he was determined to use the country’s wealth to the maximum benefit of its citizens. The government went about creating the greatest welfare state the world has known, with cradle-to-grave care, free comprehensive health services, education for all through the university level, scholarships for advanced study abroad, housing for everyone, a civil service system that guaranteed employment, generous retirement benefits, and a world-class national infrastructure.

Abdullah’s reign also saw the end of the agreement with Britain, as stability and inter-Arab cooperation made it obsolete. On 19 June 1961, Kuwait regained full sovereignty, but within a week was facing a serious challenge to its existence. The then President of Iraq, Abdulkarim Qasim, claimed that Kuwait was Iraqi territory. Abdullah Al-Salem acted promptly, requesting Britain